Expand PSReadLine MenuComplete to work in Visual Studio Code for non-english default languages

[WorrenB]

this is my second issue on github.
I hope it is usable in this form.

PS version: 7.0.0-preview.4
PSReadline version: 2.0.0-beta5
os: 10.0.18362.356 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
PS file version: 7.0.0.0
HostName: Visual Studio Code Host
BufferWidth: 160
BufferHeight: 19

Behavior:
If windows default language is set to english the PSReadLine MenuComplete in Visual Studio Code - Insiders works out of the box as intended.

Completion functions
====================
Key           Function            Description
---           --------            -----------
Ctrl+@        MenuComplete        Complete the input if there is a single completion, otherwise complete the input by selecting from a menu of possible completions.
Ctrl+Spacebar MenuComplete        Complete the input if there is a single completion, otherwise complete the input by selecting from a menu of possible completions.

as my default language usually is set to german, I'm encountering problems while trying Ctrl+Space for calling MenuCompletion.
Ctrl+Space is then interpreted as ctrl+"
even switching keyboard layout then to english with Shift+Alt makes no difference.
Defining a additional PSReadLineKeyHandler s.b. fixed it for me, but due it works in english without any changes maybe there is a chance to "expand" it work for other languages too.

Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler -Chord 'Ctrl+"' -Function MenuComplete

Completion functions
====================
Key           Function            Description
---           --------            -----------
Ctrl+@        MenuComplete        Complete the input if there is a single completion, otherwise complete the input by selecting from a menu of possible completions.
Ctrl+Spacebar MenuComplete        Complete the input if there is a single completion, otherwise complete the input by selecting from a menu of possible completions.
Ctrl+"        MenuComplete        Complete the input if there is a single completion, otherwise complete the input by selecting from a menu of possible completions.

Thank you
kind regards
Björn

[msftrncs]

Could this be a VS Code thing? Does it happen to in a normal ConHost'd PowerShell?

[WorrenB]

no it doesn't happen in ConHost'd Powershell - so maybe it is.
but this was also the case with english win default language until @TylerLeonhardt fixed it somehow.
so I thought it would be ok to place it here.
can you move it then - if needed?

[daxian-dbw]

@TylerLeonhardt Do you remember how it was fixed with English being the default language?

[TylerLeonhardt]

Yes! I fixed it in #878 where I added Ctrl+@. I think as long as it doesn't conflict with anything, we can add Ctrl+".

That said... @Tyriar, do you know why Ctrl+Space would be interpreted differently in a German layout vs an English one?

[Tyriar]

@TylerLeonhardt no idea. keyCode 32 (space) should send NUL (\u0000) to the shell:

https://github.com/xtermjs/xterm.js/blob/cad9477eef22c0e505337c1f634f9f35a8804edc/src/common/input/Keyboard.ts#L331

[daxian-dbw]

I think as long as it doesn't conflict with anything, we can add Ctrl+".

I'm not sure if we want to go that way. It's possible Ctrl+Space gets mapped to a different chord for another different keyboard layout ...

[TylerLeonhardt]

I'm not sure if we want to go that way.

Yes ideally we find a generic way of going about doing this but it's unclear who's causing the different behavior at this time. I know that PSReadLine has had an issue here and there in the passed wrt other keyboard layouts.

[WorrenB]

for me it is mysterious because, it somehow seems to make a difference which language is active before starting vscode while language switching in an open vscode doesn't change the behavior?

[daxian-dbw]

Going through all keyboard layout issues.
@WorrenB I know it's been quite a while, but any chance you can try this with the latest PowerShell VS Code extension (2020.3.0) and see if it still happens? Also, can you please try the same in Windows Terminal? Look here for how to install it. Thanks!

[Livven]

@daxian-dbw Not the person you mentioned but can confirm this is an issue with the latest versions of VS Code and Windows Terminal.

[daxian-dbw]

Thanks @Livven. We also got a new report (#1415) for the same issue with 2.0.0 GA PSReadLine in Windows Terminal.

From @l-c-g:

This may be related to #1380 (but I am already using PSReadLine 2.0) or #1086 (Windows Terminal and VS Code may share some code in this area, I don't know). It might also be related to microsoft/terminal#2865. From a comment in that issue, I understand that this is due to terminals handling Ctrl+Space as alias for Ctrl+@. Coincidentally, on a German keyboard you enter " as Shift+2, which is where the US layout has the @ glyph. This comment lead me to try and switch my keyboard layout to US; if I do, Ctrl+Space correctly invokes MenuComplete.

To me, it looks like a complex interaction between Windows Terminal, PSReadLine and the keyboard layout. I cannot say, however, whether the problem is in PSReadLine or Windows Terminal (in which case I would gladly open an issue with them).

[sigmarising]

Going through all keyboard layout issues.
@WorrenB I know it's been quite a while, but any chance you can try this with the latest PowerShell VS Code extension (2020.3.0) and see if it still happens? Also, can you please try the same in Windows Terminal? Look here for how to install it. Thanks!

My Computer Enviroment:

• PS version: 7.0.2
• PSReadline version: 2.1.0-beta2
• OS: Windows10 2004(19041.329)
• VSCode: 1.46.0 stable
• Windows Terminal: 1.0.1401.0 stable

I also experience the Ctrl+Space not working with Chinese input. But after I use the screencast in VScode, I found this may caused by key-binding conflict with different language Inputs.

I use Microsoft Chinese Pinyin (which can change EN/CN input by hitting keybind) Input all the time. When I test the Ctrl+Space in English (EN-US), Microsoft Janpanese, and Microsoft Chinese Input, I find that VSCode can not get the Space key when I using the Chinese Input.

Then I goto the settings of Microsoft Chinese Pinyin Input and find that it use the keybinding Ctrl+Space to change between EN/CN.

Then I disabled this key-bind, and Ctrl+Space works well with English, Janpanese, Chinese inputs both in Vscode and windows ternimal.

[daxian-dbw]

A bunch of key bindings used in PSReadLine get fixed in the most recent preview release of Windows Terminal (v1.1.1671.0), including ctrl+space (which doesn't need the ctrl+@ workaround binding for MenuComplete anymore).
See microsoft/terminal#879 for the issue, and microsoft/terminal#879 (comment) for the release information.
@l-c-g Can you please install the preview version of Windows Terminal and see if Ctrl+Space works fine in the German keyboard as well?

[daxian-dbw]

@Tyriar Given the issue microsoft/terminal#879 fixed in Windows Terminal preview release, can it also be fixed in VSCode terminal?

Ctrl+Space in Windows Terminal (1.1.1671.0)

Ctrl+Space in VSCode terminal (1.46.1)

[Tyriar]

@daxian-dbw well if we just need to enable PSEUDOCONSOLE_WIN32_INPUT_MODE to get this then yes, it will be months before conpty ships in Windows 10 though.

[WorrenB]

Oh sorry - had a look on the progress of my issue at the beginning and then left without looking at it anylonger.
I will now read all your comments which came in meanwhile and answer questions if still open.

[WorrenB]

for me it is also

Ctrl+Space in Windows Terminal Version: 1.1.2021.0 shows

Ctrl+Space in VSCode Version 1.48.0 Insider shows

so it seems to be interpreted correct in Windows Terminal while in VSCode it still shows something diffrent.

[sakaldevverm]

please soutout my problam

[daxian-dbw]

@WorrenB It's been over 2.5 years since we last check on this issue. Given that this is rooted in VSCode terminal, not something we can fix in PSReadLine, I will close this issue. Can you please check again if the issue has been resolved in VSCode terminal? If not, can you please open an issue in the VSCode repository instead? Thanks!